Leo did not want to eat his vegetables. Esperenza tried and tried, but he absolutely refused. His teacher scolded at him because he didn't finish his abc writing. He was put into a really bad mood. Five year old bad moods are really bad. Nobody needed to tell anyone that. But Leo was a good child. That's probably why he wasn't throwing a tantrum. He just refused to eat anything.

"Young man, if you won't eat your dinner, then I guess you'll be going to bed then." Esperenza said sternly. She crossed her arms, but nothing more. And Leo didn't scowl. He looked up at her and said "Fine. Goodnight Mamá."

He went upstairs to his room, and climbed into his bed. He didn't bother to even brush his teeth, but he didn't care. He just wanted to calm down. He slowly fell asleep, and and entered a nightmare. But not before seeing a man saying "Leo, you mustn't treat your mother like that. Look at these people..."

Leo was in...an attic? It was dark, and gloomy, and extremely scary. A little boy was in his bed, whispering "Love me...please love me Mommy...love me..."
He was shivering, trying to get warm from the thin sheets, harsh winds blowing in from the broken window, which provided barely any moonlight. The boy, no older than five, like Leo, kept whispering "Love me...please...love me..."
Leo wanted to help badly, so badly, but he was glued to the spot. Then he heard footsteps. Leo wanted to tell the boy "Run! A monster's coming!" But he couldn't speak. But the boy knew what was going on. He quickly ran into his closet when a woman opened the door, holding an empty vodka bottle.

"Monster! You filthy piece of rubbish! I hate you! The abortion should've worked! You wasted git, I should've left you at the orphanage!" she sneered, throwing the bottle across the room. She had remarkable aim, and it shattered like Leos heart, the shards landing in a large pile of broken glass pieces.

Leo was horrified. What kind of person treated their son like that? The mother continued, and her voice has risen to shrieking.

"Monster! You stupid worthless piece of filth, get out of the closet!"

The boy (Leo would never refer to him as 'monster') got out of the closet, trembling and his face tear stained. She smirked, like that gave her an excuse to shriek again.

"Why are you crying baby? To weak and useless to even talk? I always knew you were to stupid to talk, you always hide in the closet, you stupid ugly thing! I'm pained the abortion didn't work! What do you have to say?"

He was petrified, staring at her with his eyes filled with sadness, misery, and tears. She started to cackle, echoing through the room.

"Talk, you stupid thing!"

He started to stutter, but his voice was clear. "M-my name is Hunter."

She stopped sneering, and looked shocked. It was as if she actually heard him speak for the first time. Her eyes turned misty, but only for a second. She sneered again, and said "Time for your daily discipline!"

He started to cry harder, and ran to his bed. The mother went slowly towards him, as if taunting him. Hunter kept shrieking "No Hannah! Please, I beg you! No more discipline! I'll be good, I promise!"

She still grabbed him, and hauled him downstairs. He heard shrieking, and if his ears deceived him, laughter? But not the light, airy type of laugh It was harsh, cruel and dripping with evil. It was about six to seven minutes later, Hunter came running into his room, crying even harder. He had bruises on his arm, legs, neck, and even face. He was crying, and Leo could hear Hannah yell "Now off to bed Monster! You'll disturb my party. I've get Eloise coming, so I don't want to hear a peep."

Hunter was sobbing into his pillow, but after a few minutes, he sat up, and looked directly at Leo.

"How did you get here? H...Hannah should've seen you." He said, stumbling on Hannah. He spoke oddly well for a five year old, speaking like a ten year old.

Leo was bewildered. How could Hunter see him?

"I...I'm supposed to be sleeping. Is...is Hannah your mom?" Leo was cautious, not wanting to make Hunter depressed.

"Yes. She doesn't want me to call her Mom, or Mother, or even Mommy. Just...Hannah. She hates me." Hunter sounded bitter and miserable, and it tore Leo apart. He hated seeing anyone like this.

"Why does she hate you? But she's your Mommy!" Leo protested. Hunter swiftly turned his head to the door (with the hinges broken and at an angle) and sighed.

"Please don't talk that loud. Hannah..." He struggled for the right words, but eventually got it.

"I am Hannahs...regrets. She thinks I'm useless." His eyes were dangerously watery, so Leo spoke to him again.

"Well, we can be friends!" Leo tried to be cheery, but the mood was so full of angst, it hardly made a difference.

He laughed bitterly, and shook his head. "I am not allowed to have friends. Hannah forbids me."

Leo couldn't believe it. Not allowed to have friends? That was terrible! "Why can't you have any friends? That's...that's..." Leo was looking for the right word, but he didn't need to think for long.

"-horrid. I thought so as well, but I can't talk back to Hannah. I'll..." Hunter trailed off, shuddering. Leo saw that he was rubbing his bruises, slightly wincing.

"Uh... don't you want someone to look at those boo-boos?"

Hunters facial expression changed a fraction to a smile. It wasn't really much, but Leo's heart leaped when he saw him barely smile. No one should always be sad, Leo thought.

Then the door swung open, to reveal Hannah, looking bloodthirsty, vicious, and furious.

"Hunter...who are you talking to?" Her voice was sickly sweet, dripping with honey and sap. Hunters eyes widened. Hannah used his first name...

"Let's go...friend..."

Hunter shot Leo one last glance of alarm, but then Leo dissolved into oblivion.

"Leo? LEO! Wake up mijo!"

Leo shot up, panting and sweating like crazy.

"What happened mijo? Tell Mamá what happened." Worried could not explain how Esperenza was feeling. She heard Leo thrashing and screaming, and went running up. He was thrashing around, sweating and crying.

"It...it was horrible! I saw a boy like me named Hunter be beaten up by his mother named Hannah! It was really bad! And Mamá, what is abortion?"

Esperenza was mortified. Who would put a five year old (and Leo!) in a nightmare like that? And who would mention abortion in it? Then it clicked.

"Hypnos..." she muttered, her eyes glinting with anger.

"Mamá? Are you mad? Please, don't be!" Leo started to cry, and Esperenza quickly hugged Leo.

"Mijo, it's okay...it's okay. Shhhh, it's okay..."

"No it's not!" Leo sobbed. "I...I didn't listen to you! I...I'm so sorry! I promise I won't do it again!" He sobbed harder, and Leo kissed Leo on his forehead.

"I forgive you Leo. It's okay, it's okay."

He sniffled, but looked a bit better.

"I became friends with Hunter." He said. Sadness lingered his eyes, but the guilt vanished.

"It's okay mijo. Come, let's get breakfast."

"Pancakes?" He asked, his eyes lighting up.

"Pancakes." Esperenza confirmed, smiling. Leo leaped from the bed, and rushed downstairs. But he would never forget Hunter, and his mother Hannah.